Bowling pin cleaning machine



Oct. 11, 1966 H. c. CONGELLI BOWLING PIN CLEANING MACHINE :3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 25. 1964 ATTQRN EY g 5 mm wk 9% INVENTOR HENRY c. CONGELLI Q BY 7% Q u 3 Nw Oct. 11, 1966 H. c. CONGELLI BOWLING PIN CLEANING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed NOV. 25, 1964 FIG.4

INVENTOR HENRY C. CON GELLI ATTORN EY Unite ates Patent O 3,277,506 BOWLING PIN CLEANING MACHINE Henry Carl Congelli, Stamford, Conn., assignor to American Machine 8; Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 25, 1964, Ser. No. 413,733 13 Claims. (Cl. 154) This invention relates to the art of bowling, and more particularly to an apparatus for cleaning bowling pins.

In the game of bowling considerable dirt is picked up by bowling pins in the course of their falling into the pit of the bowling lane and during their handling in the machines which set them upon the pin deck of a bowling lane. It is therefore in the interest of a bowling proprietor to see to it that his bowling pins are kept as clean as possible in order to present a clean array of bowling pins against which bowlers roll and also present the best possible target :at which a bowler can roll his ball which, of course, would not be the case if pins are not clean and, therefore, remained blackened or dirty. Obviously, when pins are in this condition the impression created in a bowlers mind is not good.

Heretofore in the art means have been provided for cleaning bowling pins but it has been necessary to collect them from the pits of adjacent alleys and convey them to a central point where they are cleaned manually and then conveyed back to the pits of the lanes from which they were removed. The present invention provides a machine which can be moved along from pit to pit in order to wash, scrub and clean bowling pins removed therefrom adjacent the pit, after which they can be immediately returned without loss of time and with a minimum of eifort on the part of the operator doing the work. On the other hand, the machine can be used with great rapidity if it is desired to clean pins taken from a plurality of pits.

The machine is one which is provided with a plurality of pin holding units in which pins are placed seriatim and as each pin is placed in a unit, that unit is moved to another station or stations where cleaning and scrubbing operations are performed by rotating the pins relative to fixed brushes in the cleaning solution, after which the units are advanced to a wiping station where each pin is rotated relative to a fixed elastomeric squeegee and wiped practically free of cleaning solution so that when the pin is next moved to the removal station it is practically dry and can be returned to the lane from which it was removed, ready for reuse.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel bowling pin cleaning machine.

It is a further object of the invention to provide novel bowling pin cleaning machine having means for washing and scrubbing pins to free them from surface dirt and also a machine which has means for wiping the cleaning solution from the surface of each clean pin in such manner that each .pin when removed from the machine is practically dry and ready for reuse.

The invention is further characterized by a provision of a novel bowling pin cleaning machine having means for rotating each bowling pin as it is scrubbed or washed in a suitable cleaning fluid or solution, after which each pin is wiped free of cleaning solution ready for removal from the machine, ready for reuse or is placed in storage.

With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain combinations and constructions which will be fully described hereinafter, and then set forth specifically in the claims hereunto appended.

' Patented Oct. 11, 1966 In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like elements:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a view of the pin support indexing mechanism,

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the pin washing and wiping mechanism of the machine shown in FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is an end view, partially in section, of the mechanism shown in FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 in FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 in FIGURE 3, and

FIGURE 7 is a partial sectional view of a modified form of pin base holder.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the drawings, the machine is designated generally 2. It comprises a rectangular frame formed of uprights 4, a base 6, and side plates 8 and end plates 10 connected to uprights 4 to provide a rigid construction. Rollers 12 and 14 of conventional design are attached to base 6 in order that the machine can be pushed readily to locations where pins are to be cleaned, and then stored. As noted in FIGURE 1, rollers 14 are mounted in swivelled supports 16 of any suitable conventional design in order that the machine can readily be turned when being moved from place to place.

Referring now to FIGURES 3, 4, 5 and 6, machine 2 is provided with an elongated tank designated generally 18. In the illustrated embodiment, tank 18 is formed from fiber glass plastic material which is not only light weight, but also strong and durable, thereby assuring long and satisfactory use. Obviously, metal and combinations of metals and other suitable materials could also be used. As shown in FIGURES 3 and 5, tank 18 is formed with bottom 20, side walls 22 and end walls 24. It is water tight in order to hold the required quantity of cleaning solution, such as water and a desired soap or detergent. A drain pipe 26 suitably operably connected to bottom plate 20 is provided for draining tank 18 of dirty fluid prior to replacement with clean solution.

A pin support or turret 28 is rotatably mounted in tank 18. In the illustrated embodiment shown in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, support 28 is provided with four pin supporting units. It has been found that this number of units gives satisfactory results. Obviously a different number could be provided if desired. This would depend upon the size of tank 18. Pin support or turret 28 comprises a first end support frome 30, a central support frame 32 and a second end support 34. End support frames 30 and 34 are fixedly keyed to operating shaft 36 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings supported by brackets 68 and 163 described more in detail hereinafter. Central support frame 32 is secured to shaft 36 by set screw 38. As illustrated in FIGURE 3, end support frames 30 and 34 are spaced apart a distance sufiicient to provide proper support for the butt and head ends of pins to be washed and polished.

In the illustrated embodiment, end support 30 comprises a disc 31 having a central hub 40 and four radially spaced bearing hubs 43 located at right angles to each other, each of which rotatably supports a stud shaft 44. A gear 46 is attached to the outer end or left end as viewed in FIGURE 3. A butt driving member is attached to the inner end or right end of each butt shaft 44. Each driving member is formed with a head 48, a central pin butt locating pin 50 which is seated in the central butt bore of a bowling pin, and a plurality of driving pins 52. As shown herein three such pins 52 are provided.

The end of shaft 36 adjacent end frame support 30 is supported for rotation in suitable spaced bearings 54 which in turn support sleeve shaft 56 forming an integral part or elongated hub of driving gear 58, meshing with and driving gears 46. Bearing 60 of any suitable conventional design supports sleeve shaft 56 for rotation. This bearing is mounted in bearing support member 62 secured by bolts 64 to plate 66 forming a part of bracket 68 suitably attached to the frame of the machine. Collars 70 attached to the ends of shaft 36 secure it against axial movement. Pulley 72 secured by set screw 74 to hub 56 to gear 58 is tracked by belt 76 which runs on driving pulley 79 secured to shaft 80 of motor 82. It will be apparent that when motor 82 is operating, gear 58 will drive gears 46. A guard 84 also attached by bolts 64 to bracket plate 66 encloses the gear train comprising gears 46 and 58.

Central support frame 32 which is best illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 6 comprises a circular plate 86 and four pin supports 88 secured thereto by bolts 90. Supports 88 are formed of plastic, preferably of nylon. However, any other suitable material can be used as long as it does not tend to mar, or mark the necks of pins as they are rotated while they are being washed and wiped. The centers of each support 88 are axially aligned with the centers of correspondingly positioned pin butt supporting head 48 of end support frame 30. Plate 86 is located such that supports 88 are located adjacent a reduced neck portion of pins being processed. Preferably supports 88 are so designed and positioned that they have no contact with pin necks in scrubbing and wiping stations II, III and IV, but rather perform the function of providing support and positioning means and prevent pins from falling out of place when they are being loaded into the machine for treatment.

Referring to FIGURES 3 and 4, it will be seen that end support frame 34 comprises a central hub 94 which supports four pivotally mounted pin clam-ping arms 96 on the free ends of which support cups 92 secured to stud shafts 93 are rotatably mounted in bearings 95 in hubs 97 of arms 96. Arms 96 are disposed 90 apart and so arranged that when cups 92 are in their pin head clamp ing positions the centers thereof are axially aligned with the centers of heads 48 and supports 88.

Hub 94 is formed with four recesses spaced 90 apart. These recesses provide seats for one end of springs 98, the other ends of which are located in recesses 100 formed in arms 96. Springs 98 act to bias arms 96 into their operative pin head clamping positions. Cups 92 are suitably rotatably mounted in each arm 96 and are secured therein by nuts 102 on mounting bolts 104. Extensions 99 on arms 96 are positioned to engage the inner face of hub 94 (as viewed in FIGURE 3) to limit the extent of outward movement of arms 96 under the pressure of springs 98.

Each arm 96 is provided with an extension 106 in which is mounted a pin 108 carrying a cam follower 110. As shown best in FIGURE 4, the machine has four stations. These are: a pin loading and pin unloading station I, at least one, preferably two scrubbing and cleaning stations II and III, and a drying or wiping station IV. Pins are clamped by cups 92 against heads 48 at all but the first station I. At all but the loading or removing station; i.e., station I, springs 98 maintain cups 92 in their operating positions. At the first station, however, as the result of the travel or rotation of pin turret in moving a washed, scrubbed and dried or wiped pin from station IV to station I, the cam follower of the unit holding the newly cleaned pin moves into engagement with a cam 112 suitably attached to end wall 24 and plate 163 by bolts 116 and 117, respectively. An auxiliary cam 118 pivoted to cam 112 at 120 is shaped to coact with the contour of cam 112 such that as the pin turret is moved, or indexed by means described hereinafter, each cup 92 is moved away from the head of a pin. Each cam follower travels along auxiliary cam 118 onto cam 122 which, in the illustrated embodiment forms a part of cam 112. When a cam follower 110 engages cam 122, its respective cup 92 is maintained open until turret 28 is again indexed at which time the cam follower 110 in engagement with cam 122 moves off said cam, and its respective cup spring 98 biases its cup 92 into pin clamping position. Auxiliary cam 118 is provided with a nose 119 which engages a stop 123 in cam 112 to limit its outward movement under the pressure of each cam follower 110. A shoulder 121 on auxiliary cam 118 acts as a positioning stop and assists in preventing rearward movement of turret 28. Spring 124 mounted on bolt 116 has one portion engaging a part of cam 112. Another part of spring 124 presses against auxiliary cam 118 and maintains it in the position shown in FIGURE 4. Stop 125 in cam 112 limits the inward movement of auxiliary cam 118 under the bias of spring 124.

Referring now to FIGURES 3 and 4 it will be seen that scrubbing and washing stations II and III are provided with elongated contour brushes 126. These brushes are mounted in similarly shaped brush supports 128 having their ends attached to brackets 130 loosely or slidably carried on bolts 132 attached to brackets 134 secured by bolts 136 to tank 18. A conventional type of brush, such as a fibre or hair bristle brush can be used. Brushes 126 can be a continuous length. Preferably they are made up of a plurality of sections 127 bolted to supports 128. This arrangement allows easy replacement of any worn section or sections.

Springs 138 encircling bolts 132 bear against the flat sides of tapered washers 140 and thereby position brushes 126 in yielding relationship wit-h bowling pins being washed and scrubbed. There are two sets of brushes at each cleaning and scrubbing station II and III.

If desired only one cleaning and scrubbing station may be provided. Two have been found to give excellent results, because of the doubling of the scrubbing time within a given machine cycle. Obviously additional scrubbing stations could be provided if more scrubbing time were required within the cycle time of the machine without changing it.

As shown in FIGURE 4, brushes 126 preferably are disposed at approximately 90 relative to each other. This arrangement has been found to give very satisfactory results in the scrubbing and washing operations resulting from the rotation of pins supported by heads 48 and cups 92 relative to fixed brushes 126.

The means for mounting brackets 130 on bolts 132 provides what may be termed a rockable support for brushes 126 and their supports 128. At washing and scrubbing stations 11 and III, each pin is nested between and in sprlng loaded relationship with both contoured brushes 126. In order to provide space for entry of pins and their movement therefrom between brushes 126, cams 142 and 143 are mounted on each wing 144 of brackets 130 adacent first end support frame 30 at each station II and III. As each pin is moved from loading station I to stat1ons II and III, the forward brush of each pair of brushes 126 is swung by inlet cam 142 out of its path of travel, whereupon the pin is properly located between the brushes. So also, outlet cams 143 facilitate the movement of pins from station II to station III and from station III to station IV.

Referring to FIGURE 3, it will be seen that as turret or spider 28 is indexed advancing a pin holding unit from station I to station II and from station II to station 111, hubs 43 engage faces .146 of cams 142 and rock brackets 130 on tapered washers 140. This action allows proper entry of pins between each set of brushes 126. When turret 28 is next indexed to advance pins from stations II and III, hubs 43 and 96 engage cams 143 and rock brackets 130 to swing brushes 126 away from pins in the pin holding units of turret 28 and thereby facilitate the movement of pins to and from stations 11 and III. As indicated in FIGURE 5, cams 142, 143 are so located that brushes 126 are resiliently maintained in their operating positions. Cams 142, 143 preferably are formed of plastic, such .as nylon. Other suitable materials which are substantially inert to detergents also can be used.

Upon completion of the scrubbing and washing action at station III, turret 28 is indexed to station IV. A contoured sequeegee 148 formed of a suitable elastomeric material, such as rubber, is supported in bracket 150 pivotally adjustably mounted in bracket 15 2 attached to rear wall 22 of tank 18. Squeegee 148 engages each pin as it is moved to station IV. The result of the engagement of a rotating wet pin with the contoured edge of squeegee 148 is to effect a wiping and drying action such that when turret 28 is next indexed to deliver this pin to station I for removal it is practically dry, in addition to being fully cleaned.

Tank 18 as stated is water tight. It has been found that when filled with a conventional type of cleaning fluid to a level, such as level L shown in FIGURE 4, sufficient to cover /3 to /2 of each pin at stations II and 111 very satisfactory results are obtained.

FIGURES l, 2 and 3 illustrate preferred mechanism for index-ing turret 28. This mechanism comprises a foot actuated treadle 150 pivotally mounted at 152 on base 6 and extending outwardly beyond one end of the machine where it can be engaged and depressed. Spring 154 having one end attached to treadle .150, and its other end secured to the machine frame maintains treadle 150 in its normal raised position shown in FIGURE 1.

A link 156 has one end pivotally connected to treadle 1150. Its other end is similarly connected by pin 157 to lever 158 rotatably mounted on shaft 36. A pawl 160 is rotatably supported on lever r158 by pin 162 mounted on lever 158. Spring 1 64 having one end attached to pin 157 and its other end connected to pin :166 carried by arm 168 of pawl 160 acts to bias nose 170 of pawl 160 into engagement with teeth 1172 of ratchet 174 fixed to shaft 36 such that when treadle 150 is depressed shaft 36 is rotated. Since ratchet 174 has four equidistantly spaced teeth 172, each depression of treadle results in a 90 movement of turret 28. i

A four tooth stop member 1176 is mounted on shaft 36 adjacent ratchet 174, as .shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. Teeth 1178 of member 176, which are complimentary to teeth 172, are adapted to be engaged by the nose of stop arm 180 pivotally mounted on pin 182 on bracket 163. Spring 184 having one end attached to arm 180 and its other end secured to bracket 163 maintains arm 180 in engagement with sleeve 186 rotatably supported on pin 162. In this manner on each downward movement of pawl 160, arm 180 is biased downwardly by spring 184, or in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 2, and its free end 181 moves into engagement with the tooth 178 of member 176 spaced 90 from the tooth 172 of ratchet 174 then engaged by nose 170 of pawl 160. The engagement of nose 1811 with tooth 17 8 prevents the inertia of turret 28 from overriding its work positions or stations when treadle 150 is depressed. Thus the pin supporting units are always located and held at their proper operating stations I-IV. Spring 154 (FIGURE 1) returns pawl i160 and its coacting elements to the positions shown in FIGURE 2.

Referring to FIGURE 2, the machine is provided with a timing mechanism designated generally 190 which can be of any suitable conventional type, such as a Haydon AP12, manufactured and sold by the General Time Corporation, Torrington, Conn. This mechanism includes a flat spring actuating arm attached to bracket 194, which arm has a projection 196 normally disposed in the path of travel of teeth 172 of ratchet .174. As illustrated in FIGURE 2, the mechanism is in the condition where a pin to be cleaned has been loaded at station I.

During the operation of the machine, manual switch '198 is closed and a circuit is maintained closed through motor 82. Signal light 200, preferably red, glows and the operator knows that the machine is ready for the removal of a cleaned pin from the holding unit at station I, and/ or the placement of a dirty pin in the holding unit.

When treadle :150 is depressed, ratchet 174 will be turned through and the tooth 172 to the right of that engaged by pawl 160, as viewed in FIGURE 2, will engage projection 196 and cause it to push switch actuating member 202 and move switch arm 204 from contact 206 to contact 208, thereby making a circuit through timing motor 210 and breaking the circuit to light 200. Timing motor 210 is suitably mounted on bracket 2L1 attached to bracket 194. Shaft 212 of timing motor 210 carries a disc 214 which is calibrated in known manner to indicate selected pin cleaning and scrubbing periods.

Referring to FIGURE 2, an arm 216 on shaft 212 has a pointer 218 and a cam surface 220.

Arm 21 6 is frictionally maintained in engagement with disc 214 such that it can be moved relative thereto in order to set the limit for any desired period of pin cleaning time. In the present embodiment a setting of fifteen (15) seconds has been found to given satisfactory results. The length of period can be varied in accordance V with the type of detergent used.

It will be appreciated that when arm 204 closes con tact 20-8 and timer motor is energized, arm 2716 begins to move from the position shown in FIGURE 2. This movement continues for the set period of time or until cam surface 220 engages switch button 222 and effects the movement of switch arm 204 to the right, as viewed in FIG- URE 2, which breaks the circuit through timing motor 210 thereby stopping it, and making a circuit through now closed contact 206 actuating signal light 200.

Arm 216 is returned to its inoperative position, shown in FIGURE 2, by spring 224 in known manner having its operative end portion (not shown) encircling shaft 212 and its other end attached at 226 to bracket 163.

What I claim is:

1. A bowling pin cleaning apparatus comprising a container for holding a quantity of cleaning fluid, a device mounted in said container for supporting a bowling pin to be cleaned, a first station including brush means conforming to the contour of said pin mounted in said tank, a second station including wiping means for wiping cleaning fluid from a cleaned pin, means for moving said device intermittently to locate said pin successively at each of said stations in operative scrubbing and cleaning relationship with said brush means and wiping means, means for holding said pin at each of said stations, and means for effecting relative rotary movement between said brush means and said pin and said wiping means while said pin is held at each of said stations to clean said pin and remove cleaning fluid therefrom.

2. A bowling pin cleaning machine comprising a loading and unloading station, a pin cleaning and scrubbing station, a pin wiping and drying station, a container for holding cleaning fluid, brush means mounted in said container at said cleaning and scrubbing station, a wiper mounted in said container at said wiping and drying station, a device in said container for supporting a plurality of bowling pins to be cleaned, means for intermittently moving said device to travel pins supported by said device in succession from station to station to scrub and clean and dry said pins, means for holding said device against movement after each intermittent movement, whereby said pins can be scrubbed and cleaned, and means for effecting relative rotary movement between said pins carried by said device and said brush means, and said wiper to effectively clean and dry said pins.

3. The machine defined in claim 2 wherein said device comprises a turret having a plurality of sets of angularly spaced pin holding units, means for incapacitating said units at said loading and unloading stations to allow the loading and unloading of pins in said units, and means for activating said units to engage the head and butt ends of pins loaded therein upon movement of said turret from said loading station to a scrubbing and cleaning station.

4. The machine defined in claim 2 wherein said device comprises a turret having a pin butt end frame support, a pin head end frame support and an intermediate pin support for supporting the pin during loading and unloading, a plurality of axially alignable opposed sets of relatively movable pin engaging and holding members mounted in angularly spaced relationship on said end frame supports, means operative in response to the movement of said turret for incapacitating each set of members at said loading and unloading station, means for effecting the relative movement of said sets of members into engagement with the ends of each pin placed between said members in response to the movement of each set of members from said loading station to a cleaning and scrubbing station.

5. The machine defined in claim 2 wherein said device comprises a turret having pin butt end and pin head end frames spaced axially apart a distance equal generally to the length of bowling pins to be cleaned, a plurality of sets of pin holders comprising pin butt end holding members mounted on said pin butt end frame, and complementary head end holding members carried by said head end frame, a pin support frame located intermediate said end frames, a plurality of pin supports complementary to said holding members on said end frames carried by said intermediate support frame, said pin supports being operative to support a pin in said turret when it is being loaded and unloaded from between said holding members, means for maintaining said butt end and head end holding members of each set of holding members apart during the placement between and removal of pins therefrom, and means for maintaining each set of said holding members in resilient engagement with the butt end and head end of each pin held therebetween.

6. The machine defined in claim 2 wherein said brush means comprise a plurality of angularly spaced brushes shaped to conform generally with the contour of a bowling pin, means mounting said brushes to straddle said pins, whereby to operate upon peripherally spaced sections of pins presented thereto for scrubbing and cleaning.

7. The invention defined in claim 6 including a second scrubbing and cleaning station in said container, corresponding to said first-named scrubbing and cleaning station.

8. A bowling pin cleaning machine comprising a cleaning fluid holding container provided with a loading and unloading station, a first scrubbing station spaced from said first-named station, a second scrubbing station spaced from said first scrubbing station, sets of opposed brushes mounted at each of said scrubbing stations, each of said sets of brushes being shaped to conform generally with the contour of pins to be scrubbed and cleaned and operate upon peripherally spaced portions of pins scrubbed and cleaned thereby, means mounting each of said sets of brushes to engage and press against pins positioned therebetween, a movable pin support device, a plurality of pin holding units carried by said device, each of said units comprising a pin head holding member, and a butt end holding member, means mounting said pin head holding member for movement relative to said butt end holding member, means for holding said pin head holding member in engagement with the head end of a pin to maintain a pin in said unit for cleaning, means for moving said last-named member out of engagement with the head end of a cleaned pin at said loading and unloading station, whereby said cleaned pin can be removed from said unit and a dirty pin positioned between said members of a unit, means for moving said device to cause said members of a unit to coact and hold said dirty pin for cleaning, means for rotating said butt end holding membersand means for continuing the movement of said device to travel dirty pins supported by said units from station to station.

9. The invention defined in claim 8 wherein said mounting means for said brushes comprise resilient supports, and each set of brushes straddles a pin positioned therebetween, and cam means on said supports for moving said brushes out of the path of travel of a pin therebetween to provide for the disposal of each pin in predetermined operative position relative to said brushes.

10. The machine defined in claim 8 wherein each of said pin butt end supports comprises an elastomeric material cup, said cup conforming to the contour of a pin butt end and holding said butt end of a pin firmly yet resiliently while said pin is being rotated relative to said scrubbing means.

11. A bowling pin cleaning machine comprising a cleaning fluid holding container, 2. loading and unloading station for said container, a scrubbing and cleaning station in said container spaced from said first-named station, a plurality of angularly spaced brushes shaped to conform generally with the contour of a bowling pin, means mounting said brushes to straddle said pins, whereby to operate upon peripherally spaced sections of pins presented thereto for scrubbing and cleaning, means for moving pins in succession from said first-named station and locating them between said brushes, and for moving said pins from said scrubbing and cleaning stations when said pins have been scrubbed and cleaned thereby, means resiliently and rockably mounting said brushes, and guide members for moving said last-named means to position said brushes for entry therebetween.

12. A bowling pin cleaning machine comprising a cleaning fluid holding container, a loading and unloading station for said container, a scrubbing and cleaning station in said container spaced from said first-named station, a plurality of angularly spaced brushes shaped to conform generally with the contour of a bowling pin, means mounting said brushes to straddle said pins, whereby to operate upon peripherally spaced sections of pins presented thereto for scrubbing and cleaning, means for moving pins in succession from said first-named station and locating them between said brushes, and for moving said pins from said scrubbing and cleaning stations when said pins have been scrubbed and cleaned thereby, a second scrubbing and cleaning station in said container, corresponding in structure and function with said first-named scrubbing and cleaning station, means for resiliently and rockably supporting said brushes, and guide members at each of said scrubbing and cleaning stations for moving said brush mounting means to provide for the movement of pins into position Where they are straddled by said brushes.

13. The invention defined in claim 11 including a drying station in said container, a squeegee shaped to conform with the contour of a bowling pin mounted at said drying station, mechanism for rotating said pins at each of said stations, timing means for timing the period each pin remains at each station, and means for moving each pin being cleaned from station to station in response to a signal from said timer.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1956 Domenico 15-4 5/1962 Behrendt 15-21 

1. A BOWLING PIN CLEANING APPARATUS COMPRISING A CONTAINER FOR HOLDING A QUANTITY OF CLEANSING FLUID, A DEVICE MOUNTED IN SAID CONTAINER FOR SUPPORTING A BOWLING PIN TO BE CLEANED, A FIRST STATION INCLUDING BRUSH MEANS CONFORMING TO THE CONTOUR OF SAID PIN MOUNTED IN SAID TANK, A SECOND STATION INCLUDING WIPING MEANS FOR WIPING CLEANING FLUID FROM A CLEANED PIN, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID DEVICE INTERMITTENTLY TO LOCATE SAID PIN SUCCESSIVELY AT EACH OF SAID STATIONS IN OPERATIVE SCRUBBING AND CLEANING RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID BRUSH MEANS AND WIPING MEANS, MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID PIN AT EACH OF SAID STATIONS, AND MEANS FOR EFFECTING RELATIVE ROTARY MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID BRUSH MEANS AND SAID PIN AND SAID WIPING MEANS WHILE SAID PIN IS HELD AT EACH OF SAID STATIONS TO CLEAN SAID PIN AND REMOVE CLEANING FLUID THEREFROM. 